


She Loved Him; Unconditionally

by ashleighjane



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-30
Updated: 2016-12-29
Packaged: 2018-09-03 03:52:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8695339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashleighjane/pseuds/ashleighjane
Summary: There's nothing sadder than thinking you are winning; thinking you are creating a new beginning, and then losing. There's nothing sadder than thinking you have a second chance after screwing up so badly, then everything crumbling, literally, around you until nothing is left. There's nothing sadder than thinking that you are getting a new beginning, but finding that everything is instead ending. “I know what that woman did to you.” Tina said gently, not wanting to scare him. She knew that in that state he was barely human. She had to treat him softly, as Newt did his creatures. She could not be afraid of him. She wasn’t afraid of him. He was a sweet beautiful boy really, turned into a monster by his bitch of a mother. “I know that you’ve suffered. You need to stop this now. Newt and I will protect you."   The efforts of the Aurors were unrelenting and brutal. Tina realised that was why she was not an Auror. To be an Auror you had to be heartless, and do what had to be done. She herself had only done that once in her life, and would never do it again. What she was seeing in front of her was proof that being heartless never ended well.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please be aware that although not described or explicitly said, rape is alluded to here.
> 
> Most dialogue in this is lifted straight from FFBAWTFT. Some descriptive text is too, but with my own additions.

Tina ran onto the tracks. She saw that the Obscurus was inches away from Grave’s face. She almost did nothing. The man had sentenced her to death, after all. She couldn’t allow it to happen, though. Credence had already killed too many times. Once more could have sent him over the edge.

The Obscurus seemed to sense Tina’s presence and backed away from Graves. It seemed to swirl more gently. Tina stared into it’s eyes, unafraid. It stared right back at her. _He knows me_ , she thought, her heart warming a little. Then she reminded herself that it was just because she had protected him, but probably made things much worse in the long term. He didn’t know. He didn’t love her like she loved him.

“Don’t do this. Please.”

Tina noticed that Credence was trying to break free from the monstrous, swirling mist. He looked so desperate and afraid. Tina found herself struggling to hold back tears. He was just a child. He didn’t deserve this; not any of it.

“Keep talking,Tina. Keep talking to him. He’ll listen to you. He’s listening”

Tina heard Newt’s voice, but barely registered what he said. All she could see right now was Credence. All she could see was a child that she should have done a better job of protecting.

“I know what that woman did to you.” Tina said gently, not wanting to scare him. She knew that in that state he was barely human. She had to treat him softly, as Newt did his creatures. She could not be afraid of him. She wasn’t afraid of him. He was a sweet, beautiful boy really, turned into a monster by his bitch of a mother. “I know that you’ve suffered. You need to stop this now. Newt and I will protect you."

In the corner of her eye Tina saw Graves scramble to his feet. She pointed at him. “This man, he is using you.” She tried to keep her voice free of hate, but was sure she failed.

“Don’t listen to her, Credence.” Graves said forcefully. He sounded like a master talking to his dog. Clever, as a dog was what Credence had been most of his life, when he could have been great if Tina had just tried harder; if she had just been better. “I want you to be free. It’s all right.”

“That’s it.” Tina said, trying to calm Credence. She held her hands out in front of her and slowly pushed them down, suggesting that Credence calm down.

The Obscurus began to shrink. It’s face began to look more human, more like Credence. _I'm getting through to him_ , Tina thought, her heart jumping a beat as she became excited at the thought of being able to save him.

Aurors began to pour down the steps of the subway and into the tunnel. Tina heard more Aurors come in from behind her. When she turned to look, their wands were raised aggressively.

“Shhhh! Don’t, you’ll frighten him.” She said in a stage whisper.  
The Obscurus let out a moan and began to swell again. The station was crumbling. Newt and Tina wheeled around, hands on hips, trying to protect Credence.

Graves span around in order to face the Aurors. His wand was out, ready for any trouble. “Wands down.” He roared. “Anyone harms him, they’ll answer to me.” He turned back to Credence. “Credence.” He yelled, warningly.

“Credence.” Tina moaned despairingly, before the Aurors began to pelt him with spells.

“No!” Graved yelled.

The efforts of the Aurors were unrelenting and brutal. Tina realised that was why she was not an Auror. That was why she had failed. To be an Auror you had to be heartless, and do what had to be done. She herself had only done that once in her life, and would never do it again. What she was seeing in front of her was proof that being heartless never ended well.

The Obscurus imploded under the pressure. A white ball of mass took over the black mass. The force of this change sent Tina, Newt and the Aurors stumbling backwards.

The Obscurus’ power subsided. All that remained of what was once a deeply troubled boy was small tatters of black matter, floating in the air. They were so light and wispy. They might as well have been feathers, or maybe charred paper.

Newt got to his feet, his face full of grief. Tina didn’t get up; couldn’t get up. She remained on the floor, crying. Her heart felt like it was breaking into a million pieces.

Graves climbed up onto the platform, getting as close to the remnants of the Obscurus as possible. He reached out, trying to touch them.

The Aurors moved towards Graves, Cautiously.

“You fools. Do you realise what you’ve done?” Graves seethed, anger in his voice like Tina had never heard before. She didn’t really hear what he said. She felt numb. She knew she had to do something. She had to get up and help, but she felt so empty. She felt like her whole world had ended, right there. It didn’t matter though. She didn’t matter. She had to be selfless and stop anymore damage from happening that night, no matter how damaged she herself was.

Madam Picquery emerged from behind the Aurors. She spoke in a steely tone, reminding Graves that she was in charge, not him. “The Obscurial was killed on my orders, Mr. Graves."

“Yes. And history will surely note that, Madam President.” Graves said sarcastically, almost threateningly as he moved towards her. “What was done here was not right.” He said, as though he was at a rally, giving an inspirational speech.

Madam Picquery responded, turning the whole debacle into a debate. If those in charge had only listened to Newt in the first place, rather than arresting him it would never have gotten that far. Tina decided right then that Newt would make a better President than Madam Picquery, even if he was a bit of an idiot. “He was responsible for the death of a No-Maj. He risked the exposure of our community. He has broken one of our most sacred laws.”

Graved laughed bitterly. “A law that has us scuttling like rats in the gutter! A law that demands that we conceal our true nature! A law that directs those under its dominion to cower in fear lest we risk discovery. I ask you Madam President,” Graves paused and looked around at his audience, as if expecting to see support. “I ask all of you. Who does this law protect? Us?.” He gestured upwards, referring to the No-Majs above ground. “Or them?” He smiled bitterly. “I refuse to bow down any longer.” Graves shook his head, as if disgusted by the fact that none of the Aurors seemed to be able to see things his way.

Madam Picquery addressed the Aurors in her command. “Aurors, I’d like you to relieve Mr. Graves of his wand and escort him back to -”

Graves continued to walk away, but a wall of white light appeared in front of him and blocked his escape route. Graved stopped and thought for a moment, then turned to show a face contorted with irritation. He strode back along the platform, not looking at all worried. Spells zipped out of his wand, attacking both groups of Aurors. Spells flew back at him but he blocked them all, sending Aurors flying; sprawling across the floor.

  _Oh, Merlin’s beard, he’s going to win_ Tina thought. _That dunderheaded son of a troll is going to win._

Then Newt pulled the cocoon out of his pocket and everything changed. Tina even managed a small smile, despite everything. Newt aimed the cocoon at Graves and released it. The Swooping Evil soared around him, and shielded Newt whilst he raised his wand.

A rope of supernatural light flew from Newt’s wand and wrapped itself around Graves, who tried to fight it off as it tightened around him, but failed. He fell to his knees and dropped his wand.

For a moment, Tina came fully to her senses. She poised her wand and said “Accio”, forcefully. Graves' wand jumped into her hand. She squeezed it for a moment, tempted to break the damn thing. She almost didn’t care that she was already sanctioned within MACUSA for acting rashly. If Graves hadn’t have interfered, she could have saved Credence. She could have calmed him down before the Aurors took action. She knew that she could. She was the only person that could have done it. She should have done it. And Graves had prevented her from doing the one job she hadn’t even yet had the chance to screw up. It wasn’t fair. Then she remembered that life wasn’t fair, and breaking things that didn’t belong to her wouldn’t make it so. She glanced at Newt, wanting to check he was thinking what she was thinking. When she saw that he was, they both advanced towards Graves, slowly.

Newt raised his wand, and pointed his wand at Graves. He twisted his head to one side, looking curious, as though he had just that moment realised something. “Revelio,” he said a little uncertainly, as though he was not quite sure that his suspicion was correct.  
It did not take long for Graves to begin to transform, confirming Newt’s hunch. Tina took it all in. Blond hair. Blue eyes. The man on the posters. The man in Tina’s nightmares. Tina heard the murmurs, and found the word escaping her own lips. “Grindelwald.” She whispered.

She understood, then, why Graves had had such an interest in Credence. It made her angry. So angry that Grindelwald thought that being his father gave him the right to use Credence; the right to treat him like he owned him. She may never have been a mother to Credence, but at least she had cared about him. At least she had thought about him every single day for the past thirteen years. At least she had protected him when she could. All Grindelwald had done was add extra pain to his already tragic life. She had been more of a mother to that boy than his so called father ever could or would be, and she had stood by and allowed him to stay in the care of an abuser, just so she didn’t have to relive her past.

Porpentina Goldstein gritted her teeth and swallowed, trying to keep herself together; trying to stay strong. She held her breath as she watched Madam Picquery move towards Grindelwald, wondering what she would do.

Grindelwald spoke with contempt. It was clear he felt that Madam Picquery was below him. She was a piece of mud on a piece of mud on the bottom of his shoe. “Do you think _you_ can hold _me_?” He said it as though the mere idea was a joke to him.

“We’ll do our best, Mr. Grindelwald.”

Grindelwald stared at Madam Picquery, defiant, as he was forced to stand by two Aurors who dragged him towards the entrance. As he passed Newt he paused and sneered, though of course a sneer was just his natural expression. “Will we die, just a little?” The Aurors jerked him forwards, making him leave the subway.

“What the heck was that supposed to mean?” Tina asked Newt?

 “Absolutely no idea.” He gave an odd little smile. “I wouldn’t worry about it though. Than man is clearly a lunatic. I’m finding it hard to decide whether he belongs in Azkaban or St. Mungo’s.”

“St. Mungo’s?”

"You’ve never heard of St. Mungo’s? Bloody hell. It’s a wizard hospital, in London. Of course it wouldn’t appear that his brain was medically damaged by a spell, so perhaps Azkaban it is.”

Tina shrugged. “I couldn’t care less where they take him, as long as he never sees the light of day again. He can rot in hell for what he’s done; for what he did to my - for what he did to Credence.

Newt looked at Tina, bemused. “Did you just say -”

Tina shook her head. “Don’t. Please.”

Newt nodded quickly, several times.. “Yes. Yes, of course. But, if you ever want to -”

“Newt, not now.” She said softly, as she stared into space, thinking about all that had happened; thinking about how she could have prevented it all just by never letting the small, precious, delicate boy out of her grip in the first place. She could have taught him the ways of wizards. She could have told him that the No-Majs were wrong, and he was not a freak or a monster. She could have stopped him from repressing his power and becoming the monster that his evil excuse for a mother turned him into. Tina couldn’t understand how the woman had treated him how she did. Anyone, wizard, witch or No-Maj could surely see he was, although a little misunderstood, a sweet boy who just wanted someone to tell him they loved him.

Tina turned away from Newt and saw that the remains of the Obscurus, although now scarce, were still floating around. “I love you, Credence.” She whispered, praying that some of him still lingered; that her son wasn’t going to die thinking that no one loved him; that he didn't have the unconditional love of a mother, deserved by all children no matter what evils they had done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just a short explanation of why this was written. It is of course complete head canon and I'm 99.9% sure it always will be.
> 
> Whilst watching Fantastic Beasts, I couldn’t help but feel when Tina was trying to talk Credence down that there was more of a connection than she had saved him one time from his ‘mother’. This got me thinking what if Tina was his real mother. This got me thinking how the hell would Tina feel, thinking she screwed up? Of course she didn’t. Grindelwald is just an evil, evil man. But Tina would still, I think, see it as being her fault. Of course this is very not cannon. I’m pretty sure Tina is way too young to actually be Credence’s mother. Unless of course she hit puberty young and Grindelwald is a huge paedophile. Which actually....yeah, maybe this is cannon o.O


	2. Chapter 2

Tina walked besides Newt. She kept taking sideward glances at him, hoping he wouldn't notice, knowing that each glance could be the last she would ever see of him. Although she would never admit it to anyone, least of all Newt, the thought of one final glance bought tears to her eyes. She had never liked goodbyes, but this was different. She had never felt for anyone the way she felt about Newt Scsmander. He made her smile, even when he wasn't present. He was courageous, kind and a bit of an enigma. Tina didn't want to spend any of her time with anyone but him. And yet here she was, saying goodbye to the man she was falling in love with. She had only just lost someone she loved. Surely this wasn't fair.

Tina felt guilty, thinking about Newt so much when she should have been mourning her son, but she couldn't help it. Newt was special. She thought that perhaps she should tell him, but it wouldn't be fair. She was sure he wouldn't feel the same way; that he was in love with another. Besides, although they had been through a lot they barely knew each other. Perhaps it wasn't love she was feeling. She was so confused; hurting; putting on a brave face. It wasn't right, to tell Newt how she felt and then a few months down the line realise that she was wrong. 

Tina glanced at him again, then quickly looked down when she saw he was looking too. She smiled, again, when she caught a glimpse of his suitcase tied up tightly with string. Newt had protested at first, saying it made his case look tatty, but Tina had insisted. She had said, with no sign that she was joking, that she would arrest him if he didn't do as he was told.

Tina halted as she realised they had reached the boarding gate. She couldn't go any further. She felt anxious. Her chest tightened and she could barely breath. She didn't know what to say. She thought that if she said just one word she would surely cry.

Newt smiled, then broke the silence. “Well it’s been…”

“Hasn't it?” Tina blurted out, partly because she just wanted to say something, and also because she knew what Newt meant. Tina paused, expecting Newt to say something; anything. When he didn't she felt she had to. She spoke brusquely, almost as if what she was saying was a mere formality. “Listen, Newt, I wanted to thank you.”

Newt screwed up his face, confused. For such an intelligent man, Newt seemed to get confused an awful lot. Tina shrugged, not wanting to make it seem like a big deal. “Well, you know, if you hadn't said all those nice things to Madam Picquery about me, I wouldn't be back on the investigative team now.”

“Well, I can't think of anyone that I'd rather have investigating me.” Newt gave a slightly cheeky smile, then coughed and looked away from Tina, suddenly awkward.

Tina tried to cover a gasp, unsure if Newt had meant to be so forward, or if had simply spoken before thinking. She was sure that must be it. Newt wasn't interested in her in that way. He couldn't be. Not when he was carrying around a picture of another, much more beautiful, woman. “Well try not to need investigating for a bit.”

Newt nodded. “I will. Quiet life for me from now on; back to the Ministry; deliver my manuscript.

Tina smirked, not believing a word. Newt was not made for living a quiet life. He had to much energy and would become bored so quickly. She was sure that without any creatures to chase he would soon become bored of her. The smirk dropped off her face at that thought and she knew her voice was wavering with tears when she next spoke. She didn't care if Newt noticed. It wasn't like he hadn't seen her cry before. “I'll look out for it. Fantastic Beasts and where to Findern Them.” She smiled, but it was so weak. She swallowed, the act of holding back tears beginning to make her jaw ache. There was a silence, heavy with so many unsaid things. Newt and Tina stared into each others eyes, waiting for the other to say something. Tina spoke first, no longer able to bare not knowing. “Does Leta Lestrange like to read?” She asked, trying to sound casual.

“Who?” Newt said this stupidly. It seemed that for a while, staring into Tina's eyes, he had been pulled out of reality and had just popped back into it with a bang.

“The girl whose picture you carry.”

“I don't really know what Leta likes these days because people change.” Newt spoke stiffly. 

Tina could tell she had touched a nerve and immediately felt guilty, something she seemed to never stop feeling anymore. “Yes.” was all she could manage to say.

Newt titled his head to one side as he looked at Tina, pondering something. “I've changed. I think. Maybe a little.”

Tina is delighted to hear the words that, to her, mean there is no other woman in Newt Scamander’s crazy life. She looks over Newts shoulder as the ship as she continues to try not to cry. The ships siren sounds and Tina couldn't help but let out a tiny sob. It was over, before it had even began. Newt was going to leave, and she would never see him again, probably. What reason would have have to return to New York?

“I'll send you a copy of my book, if I may.”

“I'd like that.” Tina whispered, kidding herself that Newt wasn't aware of her tears. His words confirmed it. He wasn't coming back. Her feelings were unrequited. Newt saw her as an acquaintance; someone he had just worked with. Tina wanted to hate him, for making her fall for him, but she couldn't. It wasn't his fault. It wasn't his fault that she was an idiot who couldn't get anything right.

Newt gazes at Tina. She didn't understand what was happening as he reached forward and touched her hair. His touch was gentle, hesitant. She stayed completely still, hoping that he knew she was okay with it. It would hurt, not seeing him again, but she would be okay. Porpentina Goldstein was always okay. She couldn’t afford not to be.

Her breath caught and Tina closed her eyes for a second and when she opens them again Newt was gone. Tina raised a hand, placing her fingers upon her hair, where Newt had touched her, hoping never to forget how that tiny gesture had felt.

Tina watched Newt boarding the ship. Tears now streamed down her face. Tina didn't love easily. She never wore her heart on her sleeve, but in the space of two days she had lost the son she loved with all of her heart, and now she was losing the man that she was sure she had the potential to love.

Newt froze, turned to look at Tina, then span around and ran back down the gangplank. The tails of his coat flapped behind him. 

“I'm so sorry. How would you feel if I gave you your copy in person?”

Through her tears a radiant smile broke across Tina's face. Perhaps she had been wrong. Maybe Newt did feel the same. She could hope. “I'd like that.” There was a pause. “Very much.”

Newt grinned, almost matching Tina's own beam. Then he simply turned and walked away. Tina did the same. There was a playful skip in her step, before she remembered that she should be mourning. She then walks more steadily. Even though losing Credence left a whole in a heart, Newt still made her happy. She was sure he was the only thing that could, now.

Tina hears something. Footsteps. Newt’s footsteps. “You'll miss your ship.” She said without turning around. 

“So?” 

“You're a busy man. You have a book to write.”

“Couldn't care less. Somethings are more important than a book that no one will want to read.”

“I want to read it. You should go now, before it’s too late.”

Newt stepped in front of Tina and placed his hands upon her face, gentle but firm enough to that she couldn't look away from him even if she wanted to. “Tina. Porpentina.” He seemed to be testing her full name. “I know you told me to leave this alone, but I really do have to know. It's very important.” He stared into her eyes, again. Tina realised how beautiful Newt’s eyes really were. There was so much behind them. So much pain, even though on the outside he seemed so happy. Tina realised that her and Newt weren't so different. “Are you Credence’s birth mother?”

Tina nodded, crying again, and buried her face into Newts shoulder. “I'm so sorry”, she mumbled into his coat as he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. She didn't return his hug, just collapsed into him, finding herself relieved that someone else besides Grindelwald knew.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Newt whispered. “Absolutely nothing.”

Tina didn't argue, but pulled herself together a little, lifting her head to look over at the ship. It was pulling away from he dock, steam bellowing from it. “You've missed your ship. You shouldn't have missed your ship for me.” 

“I didn't. I mean, I did. I think I would have came back anyway, for you. But actually I missed it for Credence.”

“What?”

“I think I might be able to save him. Tina, can you tell me who Credences father is?”

She shook her head vehemently, not ready to tell Newt about Grindelwald. “We both saw what happened to Credence. He is gone. Please, don't make this harder for me than it has to be. I know you mean well, but even you can't fix this.”

“Please just let me try. I have to at least try. And if I'm wrong, I'll get on another ship and I'll just stay away. Let me try, if not for you then for Credence. He was a decent lad, underneath. I want to try to help him.”

Tina sighed. “Fine. I have no idea what you think you can do, but fine.”

There was a twinkle in Newts eye. “Haven't you realised by now, I excel in making the impossible possible?”

Tina frowned. She wanted to believe Newt. She wanted to believe that Newt could bring her son back. She couldn't, though. She had already lost him once. If whatever hairbrained idea Newt had failed, it would be like losing him all over again.


	3. Chapter 3

Newt dropped his case down on the floor. He gave a quick glance over his shoulder, then whipped out his wand and pointed it at his case. “Diffindo”, he whispered, with a flick of his wand. The string fell away from the case. Tina was impressed by Newt’s wand work. Most witches and wizards did not bother to practice enough to be so precise with the Diffindo charm. She had witnessed skilled wizards cut of a whole hand when they had intended to only amputate a finger. Tina looked at Newt in awe, who was grinning at her, clearly aware that she was impressed. She scowled. “What the heck do you think you’re doing? Performing magic like that, out in the open, after what we just went through.”

Newt shrugged. “I checked that no one was watching.”

“Have you really not learned anything?”

“Everything turned out alright in the end, didn’t it?”

Tina stared at Newt, mouth slightly ajar, wondering if perhaps she had made a mistake after all; that he was not as wonderful as she had thought.

“Sorry, of course not.” He said softly, realising his mistake. “Come on.” He grabbed Tina’s hand and stepped into the case, dragging her with him.

Tina, not expecting the decent, still managed to land in Newt’s shed on her feet with her knees bent. “What was that? I just told you to be careful, and you pull that? Anyone could have been watching.”

Newt shrugged. “But they weren't.”

Tina sighed. “Are you really this clueless, or do you just not care? Do you want another Jacob?” Tina looked at him, trying to find answers in his face. She was sure he wouldn't be so reckless if he truly understood what he could be risking, but she had to acknowledge she barely knew the man, even if she did feel like she had known him for an eternity.

“Sorry. I'll be more careful.” Newt had lowered his head, avoiding looking into Tina's eyes.

“Thank you.” She murmured, then ducked her head as a blue creature zipped over her. She whipped around as it flew back in the opposite direction. “That was not a moth.”

“Of course not.” Newt laughed. “It's a Billywig. Why would you think it was a moth?”

“That's what you said, when I saw it in the city.”

“I lied. I do that sometimes.”

Tina shrugged. “Everyone lies sometimes. If they didn’t, the world would be even more terrible than it already is.”

“I lied to you yesterday, when I said that I had no idea what Grindelwald was talking about. He may be a very deranged man but no one can deny that he is intelligent. I would even go as far to say he is even more intelligent than me. It is such a shame he has chosen to use such a magnificent brain for such reprehensible acts.”

“Newt, could you just get to the point, please?” Tina didn’t mean to be blunt. Normally she had enjoyed listening to Newt’s ramblings, but right then she just needed to know. She needed to know if Newt really had a semblance of a plan or if he was just insane. She needed to know whether she could let herself hope, just a little bit.

“Of course. Sorry. I suppose you want to know where Credence comes into this.”

Tina nodded slowly, thinking that would probably have been very obvious to anyone but Newt.

“When Grindelwald said ‘Will we die. Just a little bit?’ I believe he was referring to the fact that nothing in this world can truly die. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only change it’s form.”

“Gamp’s Law.” Tina murmured.

“Yes, something like that. Whilst in his Obscurus form, Credence was purely energy. Therefore, he could not be destroyed, so cannot truly be dead.”

“He was decimated. There’s no coming back from that.”

“Just have a little faith.”

“I think I ran out of that a long time ago.”

“I did too, for a while. In fact, someone stole it from me. But, people change.” Newt reached inside his jacket and pulled out a glass tube, filled with what Tina quickly identified as some of the matter that Credence had become. “I took this when we were in the subway. I had a feeling I would have need of it.” Newt pulled open a drawer and slipped out a needle. “I’m going to need a drop or two of your blood.”

“Why?”

“I spent a long time studying the Obscurus that I managed to remove from that little girl. There’s still much I don’t understand. What I do understand is that they are creatures that should never have existed. They are abominations. Wizards are not supposed to suppress who they are. An obscurus knows it is wrong. Stuck between what is human and aberration. It constantly is searching for a way to gain back its original, human form.” Newt reached forwards and picked up Tina’s hand. “May I?”

“Go ahead. Take as much as you need.” Tina would have given her own life, if it meant that Credence could have his back; if it meant that he could live the life that he had always deserved.

“Just a drop should be enough. The Obscurus just needs reminding of where it came from.” Newt pricked Tina’s index finger with the needle, and squeezed as much blood as would come into the tube. “I hope that didn’t hurt much.” He said softly.

Tina sucked the end of her finger, then shrugged. “I’ve been through worse.” Tina stared a the tube, looking for some sign that anything at all was happening. “If your insane idea is going to work, how long should it take?”

“Well, I have no idea really.”

* * *

They waited for hours, mostly in silence. Tina paced the room, occasionally chewing on her finger nails as her nerves got the better of her.

“It’s not going to work, is it?” She finally asked Newt, looking into his eyes with tears swimming in her eyes.

Newt hesitated before answering her. “I’m so sorry. This was stupid. I should never have … there’s another ferry leaving shortly. I really do think that I should board it. I have a lot of work to do.”

“It’s okay. You tried.”

“I’ll send you a copy of my book.” Newt, usually so confident in his actions, was suddenly awkward. As though he had been so sure that his idea would work, but now that it hadn’t he seemed to be questioning everything. “I suppose this is what happens when you listen to the words of a lunatic.”

“I should go.” Tina tried to smile, but instead her voice cracked as she yet again found herself fighting against tears. “Don’t miss another ferry on my account.”

“It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Goldstein.”

Tina’s heart dropped when she heard Newt refer to her by her surname. It was as though Newt’s failure, although not his fault, had broken the fragile bond that the past few days had formed between them. It was fitting really. It was a curse. Tina had given up the one thing that she should have cared for above everything else. Now, as punishment, everything she cared about would always be stolen away. But that, Tina decided, was okay. It was what she deserved. “Likewise.” Tina replied, before Tina turned her back on Newt and left his shed, finding herself back on the dock. The ferry was there, waiting. Tina just glanced at it, before walking away. There was no playful skip in her step this time. Her arms were folded, her head down. She didn’t look back for once last glance. She knew that Newt would be there, boarding the ferry. But she refused to look. She refused to look at the things that she had, just for a second, believed would be hers. She knew that once final glance would be bitter-sweet, but ultimately would only cause more pain. Pain was one thing she had enough of to last her a lifetime, and she wasn’t going to do anything that would only grant her more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise that the next (and final) chapter will actually have a happy ending.


End file.
